21 candidates file for Paterson City Council

By NICK CLUNN

Staff Writer |

The Record

PATERSON — The City Clerk received candidate petitions from 21 residents planning to run in the May elections for City Council by Monday’s filing deadline, giving all five incumbents seeking reelection at least some degree of competition.

Voters on May 8 will have an opportunity to pick the politician who will represent their ward for the next four years. Paterson has six wards. Among the ward council members, only Vera Ames in the 4th Ward will not seek reelection.

The election also will decide who will fill the at-large council seat vacated by Benjie Wimberly, who resigned after being elected in November to the state Assembly. The winner of that race will fill a two-year unexpired term before having to run again in 2014. That’s when the city will hold elections for the two other at-large seats and the office of mayor.

Councilman Aslon Goow Sr., who represents the 2nd Ward, will face four competitors, more than any other incumbent.

It won’t be known until today whether the four candidates who submitted petitions on deadline day collected the required number of signatures from registered voters in their respective wards. The other candidates have been certified by the clerk.

The minimum number of required signatures varies by ward, ranging from 109 to 130, depending on population. Candidates for the at-large seat needed to submit at least 690 signatures.

Polling hours for council elections are normally 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are about 69,000 registered voters in Paterson.

The city holds council elections in May because it functions under a nonpartisan form of government.At-LargeTwo-year unexpired term

21 candidates file for Paterson City Council

By NICK CLUNN

Staff Writer |

The Record

PATERSON — The City Clerk received candidate petitions from 21 residents planning to run in the May elections for City Council by Monday’s filing deadline, giving all five incumbents seeking reelection at least some degree of competition.

Voters on May 8 will have an opportunity to pick the politician who will represent their ward for the next four years. Paterson has six wards. Among the ward council members, only Vera Ames in the 4th Ward will not seek reelection.

The election also will decide who will fill the at-large council seat vacated by Benjie Wimberly, who resigned after being elected in November to the state Assembly. The winner of that race will fill a two-year unexpired term before having to run again in 2014. That’s when the city will hold elections for the two other at-large seats and the office of mayor.

Councilman Aslon Goow Sr., who represents the 2nd Ward, will face four competitors, more than any other incumbent.

It won’t be known until today whether the four candidates who submitted petitions on deadline day collected the required number of signatures from registered voters in their respective wards. The other candidates have been certified by the clerk.

The minimum number of required signatures varies by ward, ranging from 109 to 130, depending on population. Candidates for the at-large seat needed to submit at least 690 signatures.

Polling hours for council elections are normally 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are about 69,000 registered voters in Paterson.

The city holds council elections in May because it functions under a nonpartisan form of government.At-LargeTwo-year unexpired term